Themes Of Guns Germs And Steel

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Historical developments are connected across time and culture by recurring historical themes. Reoccurring themes are interactions between human and the environment, development of culture, expansion of hierarchy, and creation of economical and social structures. In Guns, Germs, and Steel, by Jared Diamond he researches why and how people in different regions were more fortunate than people in other regions of the world. Diamond credits the inequalities of the people to the differences in the environment not biological reasons. Most of the advantages the Europeans had were a direct result of geography. Although the growth and development of human society have greatly shaped and advanced civilization, ecological and geographic factors are where …show more content…

Chiefdoms which contain different lineages and have many jobs that were often filled by captured slaves. According to Diamond, religion also plays a part in this as it evolves to be more of a support to the government as a society becomes more complex. Chiefdoms had a redistributive economy in which the chief received all the goods and then spread it back out among all the people. It become institutionalized and more formalized and they are used to bolster the power of the secular government in society. For example, in chapter 14, Diamond argues that complex societies are ruled by "kleptocracies" that take resources from the people and must keep them happy and unknowing as they rob them (p.276). Kleptocracy is when the leader keeps much more tribute than he gives. One very interesting example is the need for government as societies grow. As there are more people together, there can be more disputes arising because they are strangers placed together. Since they do not really know or care for each other as much fights are less likely to be stopped. Hence a large society that leaves conflict resolution to its members is guaranteed to fail (p.286). That is why complex societies needed to form a government. This is related to the theme because it touches on the issues of government and creation of

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